Can opener



T.- H. ROSS July 8-, 1924. v 1,5005% CA? OPENER File d May 9. 1923INVENTOR 3 13077145 15 12 0.55

Patented July 3, i924.

TI-IOI/IAS H. BOSS, 013 BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO ARCAS BRASS AND IRON COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CAN OPEN ER.

Application filed May 9, 1923.

To all 20710722 it may concern I Be it known that I, THOMAS H. Ross, acitizen of the United States, and resident of borough of Brooklyn, inthe county of 6, Kings and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Can Openers, of which the following is "aspecification.

This invention relates to can openers and w my improvement isparticularly devoted to the novel and economical construction of thesedevices to the end that they may be more efficient in service anddurable in character.

Briefly expressed, my invention comprises a shank provided with asuitable handle and having a continuing blade which is curved inlongitudinal section in order that it may conform approximately to thecontour of the can wall at the inner surface thereof when cutting outthe top.

The blade is oifset from the shank, being connected therewith by a webthat serves as a bearing to oo-act with the top of the can wall as afulcrum, and this web is provided with an inclined recess at its loweredge, to localize the device upon the can wall. Also extended out fromthe shank is a guide finger, which, being aligned with the shank, liesspaced from the blade in a parallel plane therewith, the extent of thespace separating the blade and guide being suflicient to permit theguide to bear against the outer surface of the can wall while the bladeis operating against the inner surface of said wall.

In this manner the blade is drawn snugly against the can wall and hencethe top of the can is out out close against the wall. By these means nojagged edge is produced in the can top in the opening operation.

Other features and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved can opener.

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a can showing the opener in operation.-

Serial No. 637,685.

Fig. 4 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the figures, let 1 indicate the shank of my improved can opener, thisbeing socketed in a handle 2, and having a longitudnal rib 3 formedtherein to reinforce it. The shank is of fiatmaterial, as shown, and isbroadened outwardly at 4, whence it continues into the bifurcationswhich respectively constitute the blade 5 and guide 6. The guide 6 ishere shown in the form of straight, flat member, in continued alignmentwith the shank, but the blade 5, which is concavoconvex longitudinally,with its convex surface opposed to the edgewise plane of the guide, isoifset from the portion 4: of the shank, to which it is connected by aweb 7, the root of the web springing from the initial point 8 ofbifurcation. Between that point 8 and the heel 9 of blade 5 I provide aninclined recess or depression 10 in the web, which serves as a seat orbearing to co-act with the top edge of the can wall that thusconstitutes a fulcrum for the opener, the recess localizing the fulcrumand urging the convex surface of the blade against the inner surface ofthe can wall.

Also the guide finger 6, whose inner sur face may be roughened orprovided with gripping teeth 11, bearing against the outer surface ofthe can wall, thereby has the eflect of drawing the blade against thecan wall, and causing the incision in the can top to be made at theinner perimeter of the wall.

The blade 5 has a terminal point 12 to. facilitate penetration of thecan top, and is beveled in the direction of the plane occu pied by theguide, to provide a cutting edge 13. 90

Variations within the spirit and scope of my invention are equallycomprehended by the foregoing disclosure.

I claim:

A can opener having a bifurcated end 95 forming a straight shank portionanda blade portion offset laterally from the shank ortion, said portionsterminating substantially opposite each other and connected by adiagonally disposed web, said web having a fulcrum notch on its underside, the notch having two angularly disposed faces, one oil.

=: which slopes upwardly from the portion of the web adjacent the shankto form a guide surface, and the other of which extends downwardly fromthe first face to the back of the blade to form an abrupt shoulder.

Signed at borough of Manhattan, in the 1 city, county and State 'of NewYork, this 5th day of May A. D. 1923.

THOMAS H. vROSS.

